


Dark Wings, Dark Words

by aceofhearts88



Series: Howling at the Stars [11]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Bad News, Declaration of War, Essos, angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 20:09:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12239802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceofhearts88/pseuds/aceofhearts88
Summary: Two Lords and One Prince are handed letters with news. A king gets handed the same news and the Kingsguard Commander rides out to meet his friend who makes the decision to ride for Dorne.Time had suddenly run out.





	Dark Wings, Dark Words

**Andric**

He got the letter from his Maester while he was shifting through the reports from the farmers about the season's harvest, eyes going tired from reading over dry numbers and calculations. Maester Darvin handed him the scroll and Andric blinked at the nervous look on his face, though he was still glad there was a distraction before he actually fell asleep over the reports.

Three seconds later, he wanted to shove his thoughts back to where they belonged.

„CARRAL!“ He yelled as he lunged for the open door, running past Maester and the guards positioned on the corridor, „CARRAL!“ He called for his cousin again who stumbled out of the entrance of the feasting hall in the next moment, piece of bread from getting lunch still in his hand, „Run down to the harbor, take as many men as you can find, halt every ship set to Essos you can find!“

„What's going on?“ Carral wanted to know, catching Andric as he nearly crashed into him, head in utter panic and despair, „Hey, Andric, what's going on? What happened?“ Over Carral's shoulder, Andric could see how Benjen excused himself from Allyria and Eyrin and got up to hurry over to them, frowning deeply.

Andric wondered how he looked, was he as white as the sheer panic in his veins made him think?

„I need you to go down to the harbor. Now!“ He repeated his orders and Carral huffed, steering him around and pushing him down onto a padded chest, Andric could feel his chest burning, he was breathing too quick, his heart was pounding.  
„Did something happen?“ Benjen asked as he closed the door to the hall and made a gestures for the guards in the corridor to take a step back, everyone was watching Andric with worried eyes.

He handed the scroll the Maester had handed him to Carral who rolled it out and quickly read over it, he cursed and then shoved the parchment into Benjen's surprised hand before ripping open the door of the hall again. He called loudly for his men to get up and follow him, chairs and benches screached over the ground as they obied as ordered, lunch abandoned. 

Allyria and Eyrin rushed down from the high table, their faces deeply worried as they came closer, Allyria's hand resting on her stomach. Andric looked to Benjen as he gasped, having read the letter as well.

„Ben?“ Allyria inquired quietly, stepping up to her husband while Andric let Eyrin take his hand as she sunk down on the chest next to him, her other hand rubbing over his back while he stared at Benjen who stared right back at him for a moment before looking at Allyria and Eyrin.

„It's bad. It's really bad.“

Andric choked back a scream and pressed his free hand over his face, biting down on his lips. No, he wanted to rage, no, by the gods no, don't do this to me. Please don't do this to me, do not dare take them away from me.

Do not dare harm them!

\--

**Ned**

Ned was down in the crypts, paying his respects to his parents and siblings and asking for the blessings of a successful hunt when quick steps came running down the long corridor. He turned away from Lyanna's statue and quickly reached out to catch Catelyn when she came flying to him.

„What are you doing, you're gonna break your neck if you run like this in the dark.“ He admonished her for running, the crypts were slippery, and even with lit torches they were still too dark to see really sometimes. Catelyn waved his concern away, her right hand tightly holding onto his shoulder as she handed him the little scroll.

„Luwin gave this to me.“ She told him before bringing her left hand up to press over her mouth, in the light of the torch next to them, Ned could see the tears on her face. Catelyn was crying. His stomach filled with terrible dread suddenly, he wrapped an arm around her, brought her head to rest against his shoulder as he unrolled the scroll between his fingers.

He read the words.

And then read them again.

And again.

„I am sorry.“ Catelyn sobbed out as she must have felt him tense, „I am so sorry, my dear.“ Ned barely heard her, the scroll crumbling together in his hand as he curled it into fist, his eyes flying to his brother and then over to his father. 'Protect them' he wanted to beg, wanted to fall to his knees and beg their ghosts to go and protect them, they are our blood, our family, our friends, protect them.

He turned, Catelyn in his arms, looking up at his sister, almost being able to feel her eyes on him as the panic and the fear and the terror churned his stomach into pieces, set fire to his lungs.

'Protect them, go, my sister and protect them, take your dragon and let the gods protect them' he prayed in his mind and then made haste. He grabbed Catelyn's hand and pulled her up the corridor again. They broke into the courtyard of Winterfell where everything was prepared for the men to go out hunting.

No one would go hunting anymore now.

„Go to Luwin, send a raven for Starfall!“ He told Catelyn who wiped her tears away and then ran off to the Maester's tower. Ned rushed over to where Rodrik and Jory were already waiting with their horses, both of their faces turning to worry and tensed alertness when they caught sight of their Lord.

„Ned?“ Rodrik wanted to know and stumbled a step back when Ned slammed the crumbled piece of parchment against his chest. He fumbled with it for a moment before he read over it, blanching on the spot, Jory looked between them, „White Harbor?“  
„Aye.“ Ned nodded and swung himself onto his horse, grabbing the reigns when Jory handed them to him before hurrying to mount his horse, Rodrik yelled for the gates to be opened, their hunting party had suddenly turned into a travelling party. „Let's hope the Manderlys can help.“

'Protect them' Ned frantically thought as he spurned his horse on and raced out of the walls of Winterfell, his men right behind him, news of changed plans quickly spreading. 'Protect them, the boys have my blood' He prayed as his caught one last look of the red leaves of the weirwood before his horse galloped down onto the Kingsroad, 'They are wolves, their family is mine. They are off the North, go and protect them'.

\--

**Doran**

Arianne jumped a little when Maester Caleotte so quickly stormed into Doran's solar and he was quick to apologize but his eyes were pinched with worry and Doran frowned at the scroll that was handed to him in haste.

„My Princess, I believe your Septa has been looking for you.“ Doran heard the Maester stumble over his words but after a quick look to her father, Arianne hurried from the room. Doran knew she had seen the words for the lie they were, but the tone in the Maester's words had still told her enough that this was something she should not be present for.

When the doors closed behind his daughter, Doran opened unfolded the scroll and quickly read over it before gripping the edge of his chair with his free hand. He could feel the blood drain from his face as he looked up at Caleotte.

„Where the raven come from?“ He wanted to know as he pushed himself out of his chair in the next moment, rounding the table and striding over to the doors.  
„Driftmark, my Prince.“ Caleotte answered, falling in step with him, „It was sent in haste, the raven was near parched as it came to me.“ Doran felt his blood sing in his ears almost as he frantically looked around for Areo.

He found him standing by the exit to the staircase.

„Ride to the Water Gardens, find my brother. Tell him to ride for Sunspear immediately! Time is of the essence!“ Doran made his orders clear and clean, Area nodded and then rushed off, leaving Doran to turn to Caleotte while already walking off with long steps in the other direction, „Send a letter to Starfall, tell Lord Andric he's got our support.“

„Yes, my Prince.“ Caleotte called over to him, Doran took a breath as he hastened down the long corridor, if luck was still in any way on their side, Captain Velaryon had not yet left the harbor. He would help, Doran knew it, they were family to him.

'I will not fail them like I failed you, sister' He thought as he turned left to get to the stairs, the sun unbearingly hot at this time of the day but he didn't care as he took the steps as fast as he dared. 'You would want me to give all I can to help and I will'.

Too many Dornish had died in the last years, the rebellion, the war, the witchhunt against loyalists.

If he could save some from this horror now, he could sleep better.

'They're not my blood' He thought, heart pumping in his chest, 'But they are family anyway. I will protect them'.

\--

**Barristan**

The King got the news from Maester Pycelle in the small council session and what he and his Hand waved off as something that could be dealt with later nearly sent Barristan to bolt from the room in a blind panic. He knew how those things worked, one would quickly follow the other, Essos had always been a powder-keg ready to blow at any given time.

And it never just blew up at one corner alone.

Especially not when this one started it all.

Knowing that he couldn't raise questions with unreasonable behavior Barristan kept his panic at bay until the council session was finished before he excused himself from the king who waved him off in disinterest. Robert's head had far worse things to deal with than a Kingsguard maybe acting a little weird.

But as unfortunate as some developments at court were, Barristan had far more urgent matters to handle now.

If their suspicions were right, and if this was right as well now, then they needed to do something, they couldn't just stand by and watch it unfold.

He ordered Trant to take over duty with the king and then ran down to the stables as fast as he could, he saddled his horse himself and took off before his squires had even understood what was going on. He snapped at people to make room as he let his horse thunder down the main street to get out of the city.

The ride into the Kingswood village felt like aching everlasting hours, his stomach turning and his head jumping to terrible scenarios. The rumors about Ashara were still new, a few bits and pieces Richard had pulled from drunken Dornish sellswords in the Inn a few weeks back, but the more Barristan's heart was hurting now.

He had thought both of them dead. He couldn't just stand here with these news in his head and do nothing, not when it meant that they could die now.

If they were in Essos...but where else...where else would they have gone...Ashara...Arthur...

His horse nearly ran Jamie over before Barristan brought it to a stop in the middle of the village's market place, wide green eyes found his as Richard hurried over from where he had been teaching some boys how to hold a sword.

Barristan didn't even catch his breath before speaking, „Volantis threw Essos into war. They declared on Lys and Myr. The Triarchs declared foreigners hostiles.“ Jamie and Richard got his thoughts immediately, „If we are correct and they went to Volantis because Arthur can hide there the easiest among the people, they will be in trouble. Deep trouble.“ Barristan continued once he was down from his horse, taking one step before pressing the reigns into the hands of Jamie's squire. „Time for decisions has come. We have no time anymore. I need to know if my friends are alive and well, Richard.“

„Starfall or Sunspear?“ Was the only question Richard had for him as all three of them hurried over to the stables. Richard grabbed the bag and the cloak he had kept at the ready for some weeks now.  
„Make for Starfall. What Prince Doran knows, Lord Andric will as well, if not more. Do not tell a soul where you are going.“ Barristan reminded him while Richard got ready and Jamie made to saddle Richard's horse himself with quick fingers.

„I got it. How should I sent word?“ Richard asked then, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head, handing his bag to Jamie who strung it tight to the saddle, „Every letter sent to the Red Keep goes through Pycelle, I don't trust him.“ Barristan didn't either, not at all, they needed to do it differently.  
„Send a letter to Ser Laeno at Driftmark, he'll know how to reach me discreetly.“ Barristan decided and Richard nodded as he swung himself onto his horse, Barristan laid a hand on his knee, „Be careful, we do not know what is going on in Dorne.“

„Protect these people for me.“ Richard pleaded and Jamie nodded, he had already spent almost every waking off duty moment helping Richard with the Kingswood villages now. And then they watched how Richard rode out of the stables and sent his horse into a sharp gallop once he was outside.

'Seven protect them' Barristan prayed, sending a look up towards where the sky was behind the stable's ceiling, 'Protect them by the old gods and the new. Arthur can fight, but he cannot fight any entire city. Protect him and Ashara.'

\--

And in Volantis, a white house laid empty.

A little broken toy dragon swimming in the pool all that remained.

**Author's Note:**

> wohoo, cliffhanger!


End file.
